The short answer
Who provides live-in care in Dorset
12
CQC-registered agencies in Dorset say they offer live-in care
11
of them rated Outstanding (0) or Good (11)
39
self-employed live-in carers on PrimeCarers within about two hours of Dorset
Agencies: the CQC register of active locations (August 2026 file), and each agency's own website for live-in care and prices. PrimeCarers: carers' profiles, October 2026.
1 has not been rated yet. Most are based in Wimborne (3), Dorchester (2), Portland (2) and Weymouth (2). An agency appears here only if its website describes live-in care in so many words; agencies that mention only “24-hour care” or sleep-in nights are left out.
PrimeCarers
PrimeCarers in Dorset: the introductory option
Introductory service. Not a care agency and not CQC registered.
PrimeCarers, an introductory service rather than an agency, has 39 self-employed live-in carers based within about two hours of Dorset, at a typical £1,120 a week with our fee included.
- You choose the carer from their profile, rate and reviews, agree the care with them and direct it day to day. We do not employ, supply or supervise carers.
- Each carer sets their own rate. The price you see includes our 12.5% standard fee, with nothing added on top.
- Before a carer appears we check their identity and right to work, and that they hold an enhanced DBS (or PVG or Access NI) issued within the last 2 years, and they complete an online interview. We do not verify qualifications, training or references, so ask about these yourself.
We are listed first because this is our page. The agencies below are in CQC rating order and nothing about them is written by us.
The agencies
The 12 agencies in Dorset, by CQC rating
Best-rated first, and the most recent rating first within each grade. The quote is the agency's own description of its live-in care, and the price is the weekly figure it publishes, linked to the page it is on.
| Agency | CQC rating | Live-in care, in its own words |
|---|---|---|
| Helping Hands FerndownRun by Midshires Care LimitedFerndownhelpinghands.co.uk | GoodRated 7 Apr 2026CQC report | Live In Care A carer lives alongside you in your home, providing around-the-clock support
|
| Agincare UK DorchesterRun by Agincare UK LimitedDorchesteragincare.com | GoodRated 12 Mar 2026CQC report | Our live-in care service starts from £695 per week depending on the level of support you require.
|
| South West Care Group LTD T/A Goodoaks Homecare East DorsetRun by South West Care Group LTDWimbornegoodoakshomecare.co.uk | GoodRated 2 Mar 2026CQC report | Our fully managed, CQC regulated live-in care professionals provide one-to-one, bespoke support
|
| Home Instead East Dorset & BlandfordRun by Enable Today LtdWimbornehomeinstead.co.uk | GoodRated 4 Jun 2025CQC report | Home Instead East Dorset’s live-in care offers local, qualified support
|
| Angel Holistic Care LimitedShaftesburyangelhc.co.uk | GoodRated 2 May 2024CQC report | Live-in care brings dependable companionship and skilled support into your home
|
| Bluebird Care West DorsetRun by Kore Associates LimitedWeymouthbluebirdcare.co.uk | GoodRated 3 Jun 2023CQC report | Live-in Care is the height of personalised support and is all about choice.
|
| Agincare UK WeymouthRun by Agincare UK LimitedPortlandagincare.com | GoodRated 31 May 2023CQC report | Our live-in care service starts from £695 per week
|
| Home InsteadRun by Dorset Home Care LimitedDorchesterhomeinstead.co.uk | GoodRated 4 Dec 2021CQC report | Live-in Care through an agency often ranges from around £1,350 to £2,000 per week
|
| Agincare Live-in Care (South West)Portlandagincare.com | GoodRated 15 Dec 2020CQC report | Our live-in care service starts from £695 per week depending on the level of support you require.
|
| Agincare UK FerndownRun by Agincare UK LimitedWimborneagincare.com | GoodRated 21 Aug 2019CQC report | Our live-in care service starts from £695 per week
|
| Agincare UK BridportRun by Agincare UK LimitedBridportagincare.com | GoodRated 27 Sept 2018CQC report | Our live-in care service starts from £695 per week
|
| Kingsley Home Care Weymouth and Dorset ServiceRun by Kingsley Home Care Services LimitedWeymouthkingsleyhomecare.co.uk | Not yet ratedCQC report | Our live-in care services allow you to stay independent and comfortable in your home.
|
Ratings and registrations from the CQC register (August 2026). Live-in care, prices and whether an agency employs its carers are as each agency's website described them when we read it; 2 branches publish a price. Check the current figure with the agency. If something here is wrong for your agency, email [email protected].
How to choose
How to choose a live-in care provider in Dorset
Decide first which model you want. A managed agency is registered with the CQC, employs or contracts the carer, plans and supervises the care, and sends a replacement when the carer is off; you pay for that management in the weekly price. An introductory service such as PrimeCarers introduces you to a self-employed carer you choose and direct yourself, which usually costs less; you agree breaks and cover with the carer, and can find a second carer for the weeks off through the same search. Live-in care providers compared sets out the difference in full.
Questions
Questions about live-in care providers in Dorset
12 agencies registered with the CQC to look after older people in Dorset say on their website that they offer live-in care, where a carer moves into the home. 0 are rated Outstanding by the CQC and 11 Good. PrimeCarers, an introductory service rather than an agency, has 39 self-employed live-in carers based within about two hours of Dorset, at a typical £1,120 a week with our fee included. Every agency is listed on this page with its rating, its own words about live-in care and its website.
Few agencies in Dorset publish a live-in price: only 2 of the 12 agencies on this page do, so ask each for a written weekly quote. Through PrimeCarers a typical week in Dorset is £1,120, with our 12.5% standard fee included and the carer setting their own rate.
None of the 12 agencies in Dorset that say they offer live-in care is rated Outstanding at the moment. 11 are rated Good. Each rating on this page links to the CQC report behind it.
6 of the 11 rated agencies here were last rated more than three years ago, the oldest in 2018, and 1 has no rating yet, usually because they registered recently. A rating stands until the CQC inspects again. The report linked from each row says what inspectors found and when; read the most recent one before you choose.
A managed agency employs or contracts the carer, is registered with the CQC, plans and supervises the care, and finds a replacement when a carer is ill or on a break. An introductory service introduces you to a self-employed carer: you choose them, agree the care with them and direct it day to day, and the carer is responsible for the care they give. PrimeCarers is an introductory service and is not CQC registered. 8 of the agencies on this page say on their website that they employ their carers. Live-in care providers compared goes through what each model means for the price.
Not always. The town shown is where the agency's office is registered with the CQC, not the edge of the area it covers. Most are based in Wimborne (3), Dorchester (2), Portland (2) and Weymouth (2). Live-in carers move in, so many agencies will place a carer some distance from their office; ask each one whether they cover your relative's address.